On the occasion of the third anniversary of the start of the war in Sudan on April 15, the Center for Environmental and Social Studies (CESS Sudan) and the human rights organizations Society for Threatened Peoples and Pax for Peace called for a stronger focus on the drivers of the conflict during a joint press conference in Berlin. They emphasize that European companies are indirectly profiting from the war in Sudan. According to a new report by CESS, German automaker VW is among the German companies sourcing gold from Sudan.

“The war in Sudan is having horrific consequences for the civilian population. We have documented severe human rights violations and evidence of genocide in El Fasher in the fall of 2025. Today, we are turning our attention to the driving forces behind this war—those who profit from the killings in Sudan and keep them going. The sell-off of Sudanese resources such as gold is being used to purchase weapons, drones, and armored vehicles. Anyone involved in this money cycle and profiting from it shares responsibility for the suffering,” explained Sarah Reinke, head of human rights work at STP, at the start of the press conference.

“There is a discrepancy between political initiatives to end the war and the fact that European companies continue to use resources from Sudan and thus indirectly profit from the war,” emphasized Ahmed Isamaldin of CESS during the press conference. “The question should therefore not only be how to provide humanitarian aid, but also how Germany and the EU are helping to finance the war in Sudan. If we do not disrupt these supply chains, we cannot end the war in Sudan.” The CESS report concludes: “Allowing trade in conflict-tainted gold on international markets entrenches a parallel militarized economy; accelerates the erosion of institutional structures; prolongs the armed conflict; and transforms human suffering into cross-border profit.” Companies such as the automaker VW appear in this investigation as recipients of gold from Sudan.

“We demand that Volkswagen and similarly affected companies fully disclose gold imports from Sudan that arrive in Germany via suppliers and intermediaries under the reference number CID002567. We call for independent, transparent supply chain audits, strict and public adherence to OECD standards, supported by externally verifiable mechanisms,” demanded Ahmed Isamaldin.

Joris van de Sandt of Pax for Peace Netherlands emphasized that European companies continue to source gum arabic from Sudan. It is the second most important raw material exported from Sudan after gold and finances the war. “There needs to be more transparency about where ingredients and resources come from, because the European economy is fueling the conflict in Sudan,” van de Sandt stressed.

Key demands:

• Treat Sudanese gold as high-risk by default in policy and enforcement frameworks, regardless of whether it is classified as “legal” or “illegal”
• Strengthen and enforce due diligence obligations across supply chains, ensuring that companies and intermediaries cannot rely on weak verification systems
• Enhance financial crime controls and transparency mechanisms related to gold trade and associated transactions
• Increase cross-border cooperation to address trade routes, smuggling networks, and conflict-financing pathways
• Strengthen restrictions and enforcement to reduce arms inflows, recognising their direct link to resource-based financing
• Require conflict-sensitive due diligence for other strategic commodities, particularly gum arabic, to prevent the emergence of parallel, less visible revenue streams

Further information:

Report by CESS:

“The Volkswagen Case: Tracking Sudan's Gold Through Global Supply Chains” (in German, English, and Arabic): https://cess-sudan.com/conflict?view=volkswagen

Reports by Pax for Peace:

“Invested in War” (in English): https://paxforpeace.nl/publications/invested-in-war/ 

“How trade in gum arabic fuels conflict in Sudan” https://paxforpeace.nl/publications/how-trade-in-gum-arabic-fuels-conflict-in-sudan/